The Calm After the Storm
by Bulma1
Summary: Hi! This is my first Tenchi Muyo fanfic and i decided to do a romance fic. This has Tenchi and Ayeka as a couple, but if I get enough Ryoko and Tenchi fans to review they'll be my next couple. Thanx


Well this is my first attempt at a Tenchi fanfic and I hope it turns out alright. This is a Tenchi and Ayeka love story (sorry to all the  
Ryoko/Tenchi love story fans) and I just thought that I would make a story for this couple. WAIT! Don't leave yet! If I get good   
responses for this story I'll write stories for whichever couple you want so please read and review. Oh and of course, I don't own  
Tenchi Muyo or any other things related to Tenchi, they belong to Pioneer. Please don't sue me. I only have about two bucks and a  
stick of gum anyways! ^_^  
  
The Calm After the Storm  
  
It was another morning at the Masaki household and everything was as usual. Sasami was in the kitchen making breakfast and  
waking everyone up while Washu was in her lab.  
  
"Come on everyone! Breakfast is almost ready!" Sasami yelled from the kitchen while flipping over some pancakes. "You too  
Ms. Washu! I know you can hear me!" Upstairs Tenchi and everyone else was getting ready to go downstairs and start another   
day. Tenchi got up and went to his window.  
  
"Wonderful." He said sarcastically. "Another dark and cloudy day." He got dressed and went downstairs where people were already  
sitting at the table, even Washu. There was something wrong though. It was too quiet.  
  
"There you are Tenchi!" Ryoko yelled and teleported right next to him. "I saved you a special seat right next to me." He sat down   
next to Ryoko and it finally hit him.  
  
"Hey! Where's Ayeka?" Tenchi looked around and saw everyone shrug their shoulders.  
  
"Here she comes." Washu said pointing at the stairs and taking a bite out of her pancakes. She came down the stairs poised and  
elegant as always, but something was off. No one else really noticed because they were too busy eating, but Tenchi knew   
something was wrong. She sat down next to Sasami and said nothing.  
  
"Here you go Ayeka." Sasami said handing Ayeka a plate with some pancakes. "Help yourself, there's more than enough for   
everyone." Ayeka nodded her head, took what she wanted, and began eating. It was eerily quiet because Ayeka and Ryoko weren't  
fighting, but no one said anything because they enjoyed the peace and quiet so much. After breakfast Sasami and Ayeka cleared  
the table and everyone went back to their normal daily activities. While washing the dishes Sasami began to ask Ayeka some   
questions.  
  
"Are you feeling okay Ayeka?" Sasami asked her older sister worriedly. "You don't look so good."  
  
"Don't worry about me Sasami, I'm fine." Ayeka said in her usual voice. "I'm just feeling a little under the weather." She was   
staring out the window and looking at the dark and cloudy sky.  
  
"Well, I want you to take care of yourself that's all." Sasami said. "I knew something was wrong when you didn't fight with Ryoko  
this morning. It's nice that you didn't fight with her, but you had me worried."  
  
"I'm okay Sasami." Ayeka reassured. Soon they had finished cleaning up the kitchen. "I think I'll go for a walk outside Sasami. I   
need some fresh air."  
  
"Alright Ayeka." Sasami replied sitting down and turning on the TV. "Just make sure to be back before lunch."  
  
"Alright Sasami." Ayeka promised. "I will."  
  
**********  
  
"Come on Tenchi! Is that all you have!" Tenchi was kneeling on the floor panting heavily. His Grandfather was standing next to him  
laughing. "Alright Tenchi. You can take a rest for now, but I want you back here for training after lunch. Do you understand me?"  
Lord Katsuhito looked at Tenchi with a gleam in his eyes. There was another reason for letting Tenchi rest. He had a good feeling  
about this gloomy day.  
  
"Thank you Grandfather." Tenchi said. He got his things together and hurried back to the house. He was running by when something   
caught his eye. He stood behind a tree and saw Ayeka standing in the middle of a flower field holding her head. Up above in the sky,  
a lightning bolt lit up the sky and soon a crash of thunder followed. A downpour of rain came down immediately. Ayeka stayed   
standing in the middle of the flower field holding her head.  
  
'Why is she just standing there?' Tenchi thought. 'What's wrong with her?' A bolt of lightning flashed and Ayeka fell to the floor. She  
hadn't been hit by it, but she had collapsed.  
  
"Ayeka!" Tenchi yelled, but he was drowned out by the thunder that followed. He ran over to were Ayeka was lying on the floor   
and picked her up. He began to run with her in his arms, but it was impossible for him to tell where he was going. Luckily though,  
he found a cabin and ran into it (no, not the same cabin they had gone into when she twisted her ankle, a different one). Tenchi  
leaned against the door and walked over to the bed in the cabin and gently lay Ayeka on it. She was soaking wet and if he didn't  
get her out of the wet clothes fast she could catch pneumonia and die. He turned on a nearby oil lamp and began to look around.  
  
"I'm sorry Ayeka, but I have to do this." He looked through the drawers and found some old clothes and a couple of blankets. He   
was about to remove her clothes, but he found he couldn't. "Come on Tenchi!" He said aloud. "You've seen this before! What's so  
hard about doing this now? It's natural, it's a natural part of life." He managed to get her out of the wet clothes and into some dry   
ones, but not before blushing profusely. He felt her forehead and saw that she was burning up. He got some of her wet clothes and  
put it on her forehead to cool her down. When she felt the cold rag on her forehead her eyes slowly fluttered open.  
  
"L-Lord Ten-tenchi?" Ayeka managed to say. Tenchi silenced her by putting his finger to her lips.  
  
"Shh. You're still very weak. I found you in the woods unconscious." He didn't tell her he was watching her for fear of what she   
might say. "You have to rest and regain your strength and by the looks of this rain we'll be here for a while, so rest and go to sleep."  
Ayeka closed her eyes and fell asleep again. Meanwhile Tenchi had to get out of his wet clothes too. Although he knew Ayeka was  
asleep he went over to a corner of the room where he thought Ayeka wouldn't be able to see him. He changed and soon he was   
back over next to Ayeka. He yawned. This had been tiring on him too except there was one problem: there was only one bed. He  
decided to sit on the floor for a while instead. Soon his eyes were beginning to droop when he heard the faintest noises coming from  
Ayeka. He got up and looked over to see what was wrong.  
  
"Ten-chi?" Tenchi peered down at Ayeka, but she was still asleep. She was sweating a lot and he put his hand on her forehead. She  
was burning up! He got more of the wet clothes and cleaned the sweat off her face. "Where...are...you?" Tenchi was becoming   
more and more interested in what Ayeka was saying. He felt that he shouldn't be listening in, but he had to admit he was interested.  
"Why did you...leave...me? Where is...everyone?" She tossed around a little. "Sasami?...Ms. Washu?...Kiyone?...Mihoshi?...Lord  
Katsuhito?...Lord Noboyuki?..." She tossed around more sounding more and more distressed as she went down the list. "Ryo-Ohki?  
...Ryoko?!" Tenchi was about to wake Ayeka out of her nightmare when he noticed a tear sliding down her cheek. "Am I...that...  
unpleasant to...be around?" This was all Tenchi could take. He had already heard too much. He gently shook Ayeka.  
  
"Ayeka." He whispered to not alarm her. "Ayeka. Wake up. You're having a bad dream. Come on Ayeka. Wake up." Slowly her  
eyes fluttered open at the sound of Tenchi's voice. Her eyes focused and she recognized who was in front of her.  
  
"Lord Tenchi? Lord Tenchi!" She clung on to him and slowly Tenchi put his arms around Ayeka and comforted her. "You're here!  
You didn't *cough* go anywhere. I was so afraid." Tenchi could feel Ayeka shaking.  
  
"Shh, shh." Tenchi comforted her. "Everything's alright. Was it really that bad?" Ayeka finally let go of Tenchi and looked down at   
her hands. She was wringing the sheets with her hands.  
  
"It was horrible Lord Tenchi." She paused for a minute and coughed. "I had driven everyone away and no one wanted to even talk  
to me anymore. I wanted someone to talk to, even Ryoko!" She coughed and laughed for a bit. "Even she didn't seem bad then!"  
He smiled at her making her feel better immediately. Finally she looked around the cabin for the first time in detail. "Where are we  
Lord Tenchi?"  
  
"Well you see Ayeka..." Tenchi began uncomfortably. "Grandfather had let me leave my training early and as I was walking along it  
began to rain. I ran by and saw you collapsed in the middle of a field of flowers. I picked you up, and this was the closest place I   
could find. You seem to be better than when I found you, that's for sure." Ayeka looked down at her clothes and tugged at them.   
Tenchi turned bright red.  
  
"What's this?" She tugged at her clothes again. "When did I put these on?"  
  
"Well...um...you see..." He was a deep red and was scratching the back of his head trying to think of a good explanation. Ayeka  
looked over at her wet clothes on one of the chairs and turned a bright red too. Tenchi saw that she had figured out what had   
happened and looked down at the floor. "I'm sorry Ayeka, I really am. If I didn't get you out of that wet clothes you could have   
caught pneumonia and i didn't want..."  
  
"It's okay Lord Tenchi." Came Ayeka's soft response. "I have no reason to be mad. If you hadn't come along when you did I don't   
know what could have happened to me. I owe you my life Lord Tenchi."  
  
"It's nothing Ayeka." Tenchi quickly said. "I would do it again in a heartbeat." He beamed at her brightly. Ayeka was looking out the  
window. Tenchi followed her gaze. "I think we'll be stuck here for a while Ayeka, so you might as well get some more rest. I don't  
think they'll look for us. You know how Grandfather always knows what happens in some weird way." Ayeka nodded and lay back  
down on the bed. "Sweet dreams Ayeka."  
  
"Sweet dreams Lord Tenchi." Ayeka responded. Tenchi went back on the floor and curled up under the blanket he had. Ayeka   
looked down to see where Tenchi was sleeping and when she noticed he was on the cold hard floor she felt bad. Although it went  
against her moral code, Ayeka couldn't let Tenchi sleep on the floor after saving her. "Lord Tenchi?" Tenchi sat up.  
  
"Yes Ayeka? Is something wrong?" Tenchi looked at Ayeka with concern. "Are you feeling alright?"  
  
"It's awfully cold Lord Tenchi and..." Ayeka began, but Tenchi interrupted her.  
  
"Here. You can have my blanket. I'm not that cold." Tenchi handed Ayeka his blanket. Ayeka just shook her head.  
  
"That's not what I meant Lord Tenchi." Ayeka said. She turned a bright red and began again. "I don't want you to catch pneumonia  
anymore than you want me to catch it. Plus, the body heat would keep both of us warm..." Ayeka couldn't go on any further. What  
if she embarassed herself?  
  
"Thank you very much Ayeka." Tenchi said understanding what Ayeka was trying to say. "But I don't want you to feel   
uncomfortable because of me."  
  
"Actually Lord Tenchi." Ayeka said returning to her normal color. "I think I would feel more uncomfortable knowing you were on   
the cold floor while I'm on a nice bed. Please Lord Tenchi, it's the least I can do after you saved me. It would also make me feel  
safer knowing you're near." Tenchi knew when he was beat.  
  
"Are you sure Ayeka?" Tenchi said looking at Ayeka in the eyes. Ayeka simply nodded and moved over. Tenchi got up and sat   
slowly on the bed. Ayeka lay down on the bed, her back towards Tenchi to make him feel more comfortable and make her feel   
less embarassed. She closed her eyes and in a matter of minutes she was deep asleep. She was more tired than she first thought.  
Tenchi was lying next to Ayeka still awake.  
  
'I have to admit this is much nicer than the floor.' Tenchi thought. He had his hands behind his head and was finally beginning to   
relax. He was looking out the window watching the rain when he felt Ayeka roll onto his chest and cling on. She was deep asleep,  
but holding on to him made her visibly more relaxed. He put one arm around her and pushed a stray lock of hair out of her face with  
his free hand. Looking down at her sleeping brought back a feeling of deja vu.  
  
"Tenchi." She muttered still asleep and sighed snuggling into his arms more. He looked down at Ayeka's sleeping form and for the   
first time really admired her beauty. He ran his hand through her soft purple hair and caressed her white cheek. He thought about   
her beautiful red eyes and how they sparkled whenever she smiled. She really managed to light up a room when she was in a good  
mood. He chuckled softly, slightly annoyed and slightly amused, remembering the fights between her and Ryoko. Who knew she had  
that kind of power in her? Soon he found himself as deep asleep as Ayeka, holding her in his arms.  
  
**********  
  
"Where could they be?!" Ryoko was pacing back and forth in front of the window. She was playing out a number of different   
scenarios with Ayeka and Tenchi in them. Some of them amused her with Ayeka in some sort of mortal danger, but most of them   
tortured her with scenes of Ayeka and Tenchi doing some things that are too explicit to repeat (^_~).  
  
"Calm down Little Ryoko." Washu said. She was sitting at the couch watching TV with Sasami. "Lord Katsuhito said that they were  
running a few errands for him and with the rain as heavy as it is I don't think they'll be back soon."  
  
"Yeah." Chimed in Sasami still glued to the TV. "He said they had to go into town and I'm afraid it's a town you haven't been to so  
you can't teleport there." Ryoko growled under her breath.  
  
"Dammit Washu!" Ryoko yelled walking over to where she was sitting on the couch. "Don't you have some sort of contraption that   
can locate them! Aren't you supposed to be the Greatest Scientific Genius in the Universe?!" Washu calmly turned to face Ryoko.  
  
"Couldn't you once call me Mommy?" She said not flinching at a single word Ryoko had said. "I wouldn't even mind if you said   
'Dammit Mommy' as long as you said Mommy." Ryoko fell flat to the floor. "Are you okay Little Ryoko? Did you hurt yourself?"  
  
"Why do I even try?" Ryoko sighed.  
  
"Meow." Ryo-ohki added in.  
  
**********  
  
It had been a few hours since Tenchi and Ayeka had fallen asleep in the cabin. Tenchi woke up to the continual sound of the rain  
hitting the window. It sounded like the rain was finally beginning to let up and it wasn't nearly as hard as it was a while ago.His eyes  
adjusted to the dim light of the oil lamp he had lit hours ago. He looked next to him and discovered that Ayeka was no longer lying   
on the bed. He looked around the room and spotted her next to the window. She was gazing out the window watching the rain slide  
down the glass.  
  
"Ayeka, what are you doing up?" Tenchi asked grinding the sleep out of his eyes. He looked over at Ayeka and smiled at her   
appearance. She was still wearing the clothes he had put on her. They were much too big for her and made her look like a little girl  
who had gotten into her parents closet.  
  
"I don't ever want to wake up Lord Tenchi." Ayeka said still gazing out the window. "Never."  
  
"What are you talking about Ayeka? In case you hadn't noticed you are up." He got up and walked over to her. He put his hand on   
her forehead. "Are you feeling alright? Your fever went down, so what's wrong?"  
  
"I think the sky is feeling what I'm feeling Lord Tenchi." Ayeka continued. "That's why it's raining."  
  
"What are you talking about Ayeka?!" Tenchi took a step away from her. "You're beginning to scare me."  
  
"I'm sorry Lord Tenchi." Ayeka said finally looking away from the window. She turned to Tenchi, but didn't look him in the eyes.   
Her gaze was fixed on the floor. "It's just that all of this seems so unreal."  
  
"What do you mean 'unreal' Ayeka?" Tenchi said taking a step closer. "It's real, there's nothing fake about this." His hand swept   
around the room indicating the cabin.  
  
"No, not about that Lord Tenchi." She finally looked Tenchi in the eyes. He noticed at once the tears trickling down her cheeks. "I  
mean, this all seems like a wonderful dream and I don't want to wake up and face reality Lord Tenchi. I wish I could freeze time  
and stay here with you forever!" Tenchi was stunned.  
  
'Does she really feel this way about me?' Tenchi thought. 'I thought that she fought with Ryoko for the sake of not letting her get   
me since she doesn't like Ryoko. Does she really love me? She never really shows it physically.' Ayeka turned away from Tenchi   
again and looked out the window.  
  
"That's why I say the sky must know what I'm feeling." Ayeka continued. "Beng in this cabin with you and only you seems so   
unreal, but it's true..." Ayeka trailed off. "...and that's the cruelest thing of all!"  
  
"Ayeka, I..." Tenchi began, but Ayeka interrupted him.  
  
"I'm sorry Tenchi." Ayeka whispered. "I didn't mean to cause you any trouble, I wasn't thinking." She looked down at the floor. "I   
just said the first thing that came to mind. I know it's not your fault, and I can't help it which makes me more than a little frustrated.   
You saved me and I'm being ingrateful..." She turned and got her wet clothes and headed for the door.  
  
"Ayeka! Where do you think you're going?" Tenchi reached out and grabbed her arm. "It's still raining and although your better you  
could still catch pneumonia."  
  
"Please let me go Lord Tenchi." Ayeka whispered. "I need to get out of here."  
  
"I'm sorry Ayeka." Tenchi whispered back. "But I can't let you go."  
  
"No Lord Tenchi." Ayeka said turning to him. "I'm sorry." A bright light filled the room sending Tenchi reeling into the wall. When  
he was finally able to see something, Ayeka was gone and the door was wide open.  
  
"Ayeka..." Tenchi grabbed the blanket nearest to him and ran out after Ayeka. The rain was quickly washing out her tracks, but   
they were still visible. Meanwhile Ayeka was a small ways ahead. The rain along with her own tears made it difficult to see. She  
was running as fast as she could when she tripped and fell into the mud. Her strength failed on her and she sat there in the mud  
crying.  
  
'This isn't fair.' Ayeka thought as she sat in the mud. 'Why is fate so cruel as to give me hope to being with Tenchi. I know it won't  
happen, but I keep thinking something will.' She looked up at the sky and screamed, "Why are you so cruel?!" She sat there crying  
for a while before Tenchi found her. He ran over to Ayeka and gave her his hand to help her up. Ayeka just sat there.  
  
"Come on Ayeka." Tenchi said smiling. "Stand up."  
  
"Just leave me here Lord Tenchi." Ayeka replied quietly. "No one would really miss me back home, except maybe Sasami, but she's  
my sister. I'm sorry to have been such a bother." She was staring down at the mud.  
  
"No Ayeka." Tenchi replied sitting next to Ayeka in the mud. "That's where you're wrong. I would miss you too and a lot of other  
people back home."  
  
"I'm sure they would." Ayeka replied sarcastically. "I bet Ryoko would just be in tears over me not being there."  
  
"Well I'm not really talking about Ryoko." Tenchi said. "I know I would be sad if you weren't there with me. Although you fight with  
Ryoko a lot, when I talk to you on a one on one basis you bring a lot of the sanity Ryoko takes away back into my life." Tenchi put  
his hand under Ayeka's chin and tilted her head up to look into her eyes. 'They really are beautiful.' He thought. 'Like two sparkling  
rubies.'  
  
"How can you still be so nice to me after everything I've said and done?" Ayeka asked looking back into his deep brown eyes.   
  
"Because you mean a lot to me Ayeka." Tenchi replied. "More than even I realize." With his hand still under her chin he tilted her   
face towards his. Slowly their lips met in a soft kiss. When their lips parted both of them sat there staring at each other. Both of   
them were a bright red, but they knew it was meant to be this way. Tenchi stood up and pulled Ayeka to her feet. They looked up  
at the sky to see that it had stopped raining and the sun was beginning to come out.  
  
"Sometimes I do think the sky feels what I feel." Ayeka whispered as she walked along holding onto Tenchi's arm for support.  
  
"What'd you say Ayeka?" Tenchi asked. He had been thinking about everything that had happened and didn't regret a single thing.   
He did love Ayeka.  
  
"Nothing Lord Tenchi." Ayeka replied. "I was just saying how we should get home before everyone gets worried."  
  
"Alright Ayeka." Tenchi said. "But no more of the 'Lord Tenchi' stuff or i'll start calling you "Lady Ayeka", okay?"  
  
"Alright Tenchi." Ayeka said blushing. "Whatever you say." They were making their way home when Tenchi suddenly stopped.  
  
"Wait here a second Ayeka." He said hurriedly. "I'll be right back."   
  
"But Ten-" Before Ayeka could say anything he was gone. He came back about a minute later with something behind his back.  
  
"These are for you." From behind his back he pulled out the most beautiful assortment of flowers she had ever seen. They were   
still wet from the rain and the drops of water on them made them sparkle like diamonds. Ayeka was speechless. This was the  
sweetest thing Tenchi had ever done for her and she was sure it wouldn't be the last thing. Her eyes were glistening with tears and  
she threw herself into his arms. Tenchi happily held her.  
  
"I love you Tenchi." She whispered in his ears.  
  
"As I love you my Ayeka." He whispered back.  
  
~*The End*~  
  
So what did you think? Please review my story. Thanx!  
  



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